Windmill.



910.847,949. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

I Al Wl I WINDMILL.

APPLIOATXON FILED AUG. 4, 1905..

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190.947,949. PATTNTED` MAR. 19, 1907.

A. w. KETCH.-

. WINDMILL.

ATTLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 4, 1905.

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WINDNIILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Application led August 4. 1905. Serial Non 272,677.

To all whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALvA W. KETCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orlando, in the county of Logan, Territory of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledl in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to windmills, and has for its object to simplify the pump-rod operative means and obtain a direct pull upon the pump-rod so as to avoid side draft thereon, and thereby to obtain materially increased power. It is also proposed to provide both manual and automatic means for throwing the wheel out of operation and to accomplish this feature without disconnecting any of the gearing, which is a very important advantage in this class of machines, as all of the driving parts are always maintained in their proper operative relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide for automatically applying a brake directly to the wind-wheel when the device is thrown out of operation and maintain the brake in engagement with the wheel so long as the device is inactive, thereby eflectually preventing rotation of the wheel even during a wind of high velocity.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in ,the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a windmill embodying the features of the present invention. li'ig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, the vane being shown in dotted lines in its relative position when the device is thrown out of operation. Fig. 4 is a detail view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the rack-bar.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings.

clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, wherein it will be noted that the stem is tubular. The purpose of this collar is to support the stem and turn-table upon the top of the tower.

The middle of the turn-table is provided with a transverse slot or opening 9 which intersects one side of the turn-table, there being a longitudinal extension 10 at what twill be termed the Ifront of the turn-table, and

-a rear extension 11, which is offset at one side of the longitudinal aXis of the turntable. The front extension 10 constitutes a bearing for the shaft 12 of the wind-wheel 18, which may be of any suitable or approved type and is provided at its rear side with a brake-rim 14 with which a brake-shoe isdesigned to coperate for stopping the movement of the wheel, as will be hereinafter described.

Upon the rear end of the shaft l2 there is a pinion 15, which works in the opening 9 of the turn-table and is in mesh with a large gear 16, carried by an arm or bearing 17, which extends laterally from the turn-table. The gear 16 carries upon its rear face a wristpin 18, which cooperates with a vertical swinging lever 19, the latter having a longitudinal slot 20 in which the wrist-pin Works. At a point infront of the inner end of the slot 2O the lever is fulcrumed upon an upright post 21, and the latter is at its lower end upon the turn-table, as indicated at 22, so as to swing ina plane substantially parallel to that of the gear. The inner end of the lever is bowed downwardly and pivotally connected to the upper end of the pump-rod 23, which works vertically throu h the tubular stem 4. The lower end of t e pump-rod section 23 has a swiveled and slidable connection with a vnon-circular lower pump-rod section 24, the latter working through a non-circular opening in a guide member 25, suitably supported between the legs of the tower.

When the wind-wheel is in operation, the

pivotally supported IIO yrect and effective manner.

' ation.

gear 16 is of course driven by the pinion 15 and the wrist-pin 1S swings the lever 19 upon the swinging post 21 as a 'fulcrum, whereby the pump-rod is worked up and down in a di- A very important advantage is obtained by the swinging post or fulcrum support 21 for the lever, as this construction permits of the f'ulcrum of the lever automatically shifting to always maintain the pivotal connection between the lever and the pump-rod in longitudinal alinement with said rod, so as to avoid side draft thereon.

The vane 26 is of the usual or approved formand is provided with upper and lower arms 27 and 28, which loosely embrace the rear end of the turn-table and are pierced by an upright pivotal connection 29, which passes through the turn-table in the line of its longitudinal axis. lt will here be noted that the vane lies at the inner side of' the rear extension 11 of the tuin-table and said eX- tension operates as a stop to limit the swinging movement of the vane in one direction. A helical spring 30 is connected to the vane and the rear extension 11 to form a tension device to yieldably maintain the vane against the extension in the operative condition of the mill.

To throw the mill out of operation, a controlling-cable 31. is connected to the vane, said cable being either a rope ora wire and extending downwardly through the tubular stem and connected to the lever 32, fulcrumed upon the lower portion of' the tower in convenient reach from the ground. By operating the lever to draw downwardly upon the 'fiexible connection 31 the vane will be swung upon its pivotal support 29 in a plane at substantially right angles to the wind-wheel, whereby the wind striking against the face of the vane will rotate the turn-table until the vane comes into the wind with the wheel endwise to the wind and thereby out of oper- When the wheel ceases to rotate, the pump-rod also ceases to operate. .in connection with the throwing of' the mill out ef operation it will be noted that there is no disconnection o'f the driving elements between the wind-wheel and pump-rod, wherefore these parts always remain in their operative relations without regard to the condition. et the mill.

Vhen the vane is shifted, it travels over a rack-bar 33, extending between the body of the turn-table and the rear portion of the oilset extension 11 and is also located between the arms 27 and 2S of the vane. At suitable intervals this bar is provided with openings 34 and 35, in which are mounted dogs or pawls 36 and 37, which have their free ends directed toward the center of the mill and normally held in lifted position by springs 38 and 39, carried by the .under side of the rack-bar and bearing against cams or projections 4l() and 41 upon the respective. dogs. These dogs are located in the path of the upper side of the arm 27 and are snapped back of said arm when the vane is shifted, so as to hold the latter in its shifted position. 'l`he dog 36 is disposed. to hold the vane substantially midway between its opposite limits, whereby the wind-wheel may be turned halfway into the wind, so as to operate at a reduced rate of speed in a wind of high velocity, while the dog 36 is located to hold the vane parallel with the wheel and thereby maintain the vlatter edgewise to the wind and wholly out of operation. For the manual control of the dogs 36 and. 37 there is a cable or ilexible connection 4:2, connected at its lower end to the .lever 32 at the base of the tower and running upwardly therefrom through the tubular stem, over a guide-roller '13, carried above the turn-table, thence rearwardly and downwardly through a guideopening in the table to a point beneath the rack-intr 323, where it is provided with independent branches 45 and L16. The branch 45 passes beneath a guide-roller L17, hung from the rack-bar 33, and thence upwardly and forwardly across the top of the roller and connected to the under side of the dog 2&7, while the branch 476 engages a similar guideroller 4S and is connected tothe other dog 36. The springs 3S and 39 are provided with slots Lll) and 5() to arcommodate the connection between the branches Ll5 and lo and the dogs. By immipulating the lever 2&2 to draw downwardly upon the cable ll that dog which is in engagement with the yane will be disengaged therefrom, after which the vane will be automatically returned to its normal condition by means of the spring or tension device 3U, whereupon the tann-table will be automatically shifted to bring the mill in operable condition.

Under the stress of high winds` the turntable will of course be shifted bach and forth upon its vertical axis, which would ordinarily result in damage to the (merating parts` of the mill. However, as the vane always` remains in the wind the shifting of the turntable independently of the Yane will more the rack-bar 33 across the vane until the dog 36 engages with the vane, so as to hold the wheel edge/wise to the wind, and thereby automatically hold the mill out of operation.

To prevent rotation of the wheel hen disposed edgewise to the wind, there is provided a brake mechanism consisting ofV a substantially Z-shaped brake bar or beam 5l ,which is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the post 52, rising from the front extension 10 of the turn-table, whereby the bral e beam is in the nature of a lever and carries at its Vforward end. a bralux-shoe .323 in coperative relation with 'he brake-rim ll upon the wind-wheel. Underlapping the rear end portion of` the brake there is a trip-lever 511,

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fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the bracket 55, carried `by the turn-table, with its rear endportion beveled and disposed in the path of the underside of the arm 27 of the vane. The overlapping kportions of the levers 51 and 54 are loosely embraced-by a link 56, and the latter is provided with a guide stem or pin 57, which loosely pierces the two levers andy carries a helical spring 58, loosely embracing the pin and bearing `against the two 'levers to form a yieldable Joint or connection therebetween. When the'vane is swung to a position at right angles to the turn-table, as indicated in'dotted linesin Fig. 3 of the drawings, the upper arm 27 of the vane forces downwardly the rear end of the trip-lever 54, which results in the application of the brake-shoe 53 to the brake-rim 14 of the wind-wheel, thereby stopping the rotation of the latter and maintaining it at rest so long as the-vane remains in engagement with the trip-lever. The vane and the brake may be released by manipulation of the lever 32 at the foot of the tower in the manner hereinbefore described. i For the purpose of preventing twisting-of the flexible connections 31 and 42 around the pump-rod tubular plugs 59 and 60 are fitted in the top and bottom of' the tubular stem 4 so as to maintain the pump-rod centered, and at the outer peripheral edge of each plug there is a notch 61, forming a guideway through which said flexible connections pass.

What is claimed is- 1. In a windmill, the combination with a turn-table, of a pivotally-shiftable vane carried thereby, a tensioned dog carried by the turn-table and located in the path of the.

vane for holding the latter when shifted, and means to release the dog.

2. In a windmill, the combination with a turn-table including ay tubular stem, of a pivotally-shiftable vane carried by the turntable, a tensioned dog carried by the turntable for engagement by the vane to hold the latter When shifted, and a flexible connection engaged with the dog for releasing the same and extending downwardly through the tubular stem.

3. In a Windmill, the combination with a turn-table, of a pivotally-shift'able vane carried thereby, a series of tensioned dogs carried by the turn-table and in the path of the vane to hold the latter in different shifted positions, guides carried by the turn-table, and a flexible dog-releasing connection having branches engaging the respective guides and connected to the respective dogs.

4. In a windmill, the combination with a turn-table having a laterally-offset rear extension, of a vane pivoted to the turn-table at one side of the extension, said extension constituting a stop to limit the swinging movement of the vane in one direction, a bar extending between the turn-table and the extension thereof and provided with a series of openings, tensioned dogs mounted'in the openings and disposed in the path of a portion of the vane to lock the latter in differ- 1ent shifted positions, guides hung from the bar beneath the openings therein, and a dogreleasing element having flexible branches engaging the respective guides and connected to the respective dogs.

5. In a windmill the combination with a turn-t able, of a wind-wheel mounted thereon `limiting the movement of the levers from each other.

6. In a windmill the combination with a turn-table, of a Wind-wheel mounted thereon and provided with a brake-rim, a shiftable vane carried by the turn-table, a brake-lever fulcrumed upon the turn-table, and having a brake-shoe coperative with the brake-rim of the wheel, a trip-lever having one end overlapping the brake-lever and its other end located in the path of the vane for actuation thereby, a yieldable element disposed between the overlapping ends of the levers, and means embracing said ends of the levers for limiting their movement from each other.

7. In a windmill, the combination of a wind-wheel having a drive-shaft, a rotary member driven by the shaft, a wrist-pin upon the rotary member, a longitudinallyslotted lever receiving the wrist-pin in its slot, a swinging post having the lever fulcrumed thereon, and a pump-rod connected to the lever.

8. In a Windmill, the combination with a turn-table having a tubular stem, of a wind- Wheel mounted upon the turn-table, a rotatable element carried by the turn-table and driven by the wheel, a wrist-pin upon the rotatable element, an upstanding post pivoted upon the turn-table to swing in a plane in substantial parallelism with the rotatable element, a vertically-swinging lever fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the post and engaged by the wrist-pin, and a pump-rod working through the tubular stem and connected to the lever.

9. In a windmill, the combination with a turn-table having a tubular stem, of a windwheel mounted upon the turn-table and provided with a brake-band, a drive-shaft for the wheel, a pinion upon the shaft, a bracket carried by the turn-table and projected at one side of the shaft, a gear mounted upon the bracket and in mesh with the pinion, a brake-lever fulcrumed upon the turn-table `jacent one of its ends, a brake-shoe carrie with its rear portion disposed at the other side of the pinion, a brake-shoe carried b y the lever, an upstanding swinging post mounted upon the turn-table, a lever 'fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the post, a Wrist-pin carried by the gear and slid ably engaging the lever, a rod Working through the tubular stein and connected to the lever, a pivotally-shiftable vane carried by the turn-table, means to hold the vane when shifted, and a trip-lever connected to the brake-lever having its rear end portion disposed in the shiftable path of the vane to apply the brake when the vane is shifted.

l0. In a Windmill, the combination with a turn-table, of a wind-wheel mounted thereon and provided With a brake-rim, a vane having its arms pivoted one below and the other above said table and to the same, a brakelever fulcrumed upon the said turn-table adby said lever and arranged for engagement With the said bral e-ri1n, the other end of i l l l l l said brake-lever being provided with a vertical opening, a trip-lever l'ulcrumed to said frame and having one oi its ends underlying the last-named end of the said brake-lever, the said end of the trip-lever being provided with an opening registering 'with the opening in the end of the brake-lever, a link loosely embracing the said ends of the levers and provided with an intermediate stein portion, a helical spring surrounding said stein portion and disposed between the said ends of said levers, the other end oi said trip-lever being located in the path of the upper arm olIV said vane for actuation thereby to move the said brake-shoe in contact with the said brakeerim.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVA lV. KETCII.

Witnesses FRANK THOMPSON, GEO. J. KETCH. 

